England boss Thomas Tuchel has made it clear that the club‑and‑country star Harry Kane is a one‑of‑a‑kind talent, and finding a replacement will be a daunting task. Kane, who netted his 87th international goal against the Czech Republic, is now just two matches from equalling Peter Shilton’s 125‑cap record.
Despite being in the form of his life – 73 goals for Bayern Munich and the national side last season – Tuchel admitted that Kane’s longevity is limited and there is no obvious successor. “You will not get another Harry Kane, first of all,” Tuchel said. “He is the first one to push everyone, and that is his mindset, and he became a very, very hardworking forward on top of his finishing skills. He is a complete package.”
To address the void, Tuchel has experimented with Jude Bellingham in a more advanced position. “We finished the game with Jude up front as a number nine,” Tuchel explained. “There will be someone else, but it will not be Harry or a copy of Harry.”
England’s striking options have long been a concern, with Ollie Watkins, Ivan Toney and Dominic Calvert‑Lewin all in their thirties, and Liam Delap the only centre‑forward under 27 to have scored in the Champions League. Tuchel’s recent tactical tweak saw Bellingham shift from midfield to a central 10 in a 4‑2‑3‑1, allowing him to support both sides without disrupting balance.
As Kane’s career winds down, England’s next generation of forwards will need to step up. Tuchel remains optimistic that a solution will emerge, even if it takes time.
